To actively participate in the 10 days of festivities usually results in weariness and exhaustion from another dimension, but inside the mayhem are memorable sparks of genius that inspire my return every year.

A piece of fresh butter-poached lobster on top of a deconstructed bisque was the seafood bite dreams are made of, and the meal closed out with a luxurious Patrón XO Dark Cocoa and chocolate chili sauce concoction that could have been a desert on its own.

It's an ancient tradition in Jalisco, Mexico. The jimador in his wide hat and boots, the elegant arc of attack, the final swift plunging of the sword. Bullfight? Not exactly. It's harvest time for blue agave plants